Lufkin woman who let 2-year-old daughter fall out of SUV accepts 18 months in state jail

LUFKIN, TX (KTRE) - A 27-year-old Lufkin woman accepted a plea bargain deal of 18 months in a state jail for violating the conditions of her probation, which was for an injury to a child charge that stemmed from an incident in March 2010 when her then-2-year-old daughter fell out of their SUV and suffered serious injuries.

Brittany Marie Dyson appeared in Judge Barry Bryan's 217th Judicial District Court Monday morning. Last week, she found herself in jail again after her probation officer filed a motion to revoke probation charge on her for committing to additional crimes.

Dyson is still being held in the Angelina County Jail on a state-jail felony bench warrant for injury to a child that was issued by the 217th Judicial District Court. No bail amount has been set at this time.

Dustin Fore, a supervisor with the Angelina County Adult Probation Department, said that Dyson's probation officer filed a violation report because Dyson committed two new criminal offenses - evading arrest and possession of a controlled substance.

In addition, Fore said Dyson used or possessed illegal drugs on at least two occasions, failed to avoid contact with "persons of disreputable or harmful character by associating with a felon," failed to report to her officer, failed to maintain employment, failed to perform community service, failed to pay on court-ordered monies, and failed to complete an aftercare program.

Fore said Dyson's newest offenses occurred in Nacogdoches County.

Marie Dyson pleaded guilty in January 2011 to injury to a child, accepting a four-year probation sentence.

According to a March 2010 report, police were called to the Timberland Drive and Denman Avenue intersection after they learned the two-year-old daughter of Dyson had opened the door of Dyson's SUV and fallen out. The girl sustained facial injuries, road rash, and a possible seizure. Police determined the girl was not secured in a child seat.

At the time, Dyson was cited with three class C misdemeanors: failure to show driver's license, failure to show proof of insurance, and failure to secure child in safety seat. A grand jury charged her with felony injury to a child in August 2010.

In a previous East Texas News story, Fore said an officer was attempting to address Dyson's substance abuse issues by sending her to a treatment facility. Dyson did not show up to be taken to the facility, so the officer filed a violation report and she was arrested again in March 2012.